EC petitions charter court on election date

Chanikarn Phumhiran
The Nation January 23, 2014 1:00 am

WITH ITS attempts to reschedule the February 2 election having failed, the Election Commission has asked the Constitutional Court to rule on whether a new election date can set, and if so who has the authority to do so - the caretaker Cabinet or the EC.

Suranee Polthawee, a representative of the EC, yesterday filed a petition signed by five election commissioners seeking clarification from the court.

The EC, however, did not petition the court for an injunction to delay the election.

The commission said that according to the law, the prime minister has sole authority to submit a Royal Decree changing the election date for royal endorsement.

Constitutional Court spokesman Pimol Thampitakpong said he did not know how long the court would take to issue the ruling, should it decide to accept the petition.

Chaowana Traimat, secretary-general of the Office of the Constitutional Court, said court officials would handle the case with urgency, adding that he personally did not believe the petition is a "hot potato" for the court.